Wars we Wage
by justObserving
Summary: Medieval kingdom of Rabanastre, undersiege by the Heartlss for months, is overtaken in a single night. The remaining Royal family and all those loyal to them fight evil a try to join their kingdom together. BaschXPenelo NamineXRoxas BalthierXAshe


A/N: okay so yes this is a redone version of Joining Hands. Or whatever i called it. on my other account i went by HuGaBblesEaL. And if i can I shall soon disposed of it though. This fiction is from ff7 to ff12. I know this whole legend thing is tiring to read but just think of how tiring it was for me to WRITE it! Twice actually my first copy never saved. *sigh* i know THE HORROR. But if i don't you'll never really know how are what, and even if ur fav character is in here so. We'll start down the hierarchy list.

**Couples status:** Ashe married to Rasler (yes he is alive), Zack engaged to Aerith (yes both alive yeesh)

**Royal family (big big royal family, hey! Ppl did have a lot of kids then!) : **Ashe 24(successor to the throne future queen )– -Yuna 22 (princess)Tifa fraternal twins Rinoa 21 (princesses)—Garnet 16 (princess) – Kairi 14(princess)- Namine 14 (out of wedlock, nobility) –

**Military: **Rasler 28 (knight, future prince through wedlock ) – Noah identical twins Basch 34(Gabranth Body guards, Generals)—Vossler 32(admiral)—Gippal 26(captain)—Squall 27(knight)—Cloud 21 (knight)—Zack 23(knight)—Riku 16 (foot soldier) - Sora 15 (footsoldier) –

**Servants:** Aerith 22 — Shera 32—Roxas 15(stableboy)

**Street urchin: **Selphie, Rikku, Vaan, Penelo, Tidus, Wakka, Kytes , Asita

**Pirates/thieves: **Yuffie 19, Reno 22, Zidane 16, Balthier 22, Blanc 18

**Bounty hunters: **Vincent 29 , Fran 58, Paine 42, Cid 38, Telj 46 (deaf)

**Emperor's children:** Vayne 25(prince) Larsa 13(prince)

**Desert people: **Al-Cid 36 (ruler)

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><p><em>The Heartless.<em>

_They were never to be feared as a whole. Only if you happened to be a wandering soul in either a swamp of dense forest and you happened upon one. Far too unintelligent for an organized or even planned attack. Perhaps a group of them would raze a village to the ground. Yet if the people young and old could hold together, the Heartless could be intimidated by the sheer sense of feeling their unity, when Humes are united their fear dissipates and only the sense of victory is felt by the heartless. Yet often a town could not hold. The simple sight of these beasts would send most running. These would tower over any abnormally tall man. Their stench could resemble something near pig's waste, with a dab of skunk's tail, and a rotting Hume body. The few poor souls that had been killed by these beasts, their bodies were always covered in some black ooze where the claws had been._

_Yet now the Heartless had gathered. Gathered together, forming the most terrifying destructive army to have ever existed. Conquering and destroying one walled city after another. Oddest of all, they seemed to fight with reason, instead of blindly attacking like animals, they even attacked with strategy, laying siege. Did the Heartless suddenly evolve in their thinking? Or was there another source leading these foul creatures?_

_Frightful are the possible answers to these questions. Here the Heartless are now, encamped all around the walls of Rabanastre, the most populated walled city known to the Humes._

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><p><strong>In the palace<strong>

...

...

"Your majesty?"

…

"My lord?"

The elderly man was startled out his daze. Looking around the room, he studied the faces of each and every Magister gathered around the council table. Most of them were men, weather beaten, and bearing scars from many battles. Few of them were women, looking just as harsh, if not more. Their faces were a witness to the hard times they bore. Few were without wrinkles of age. One such, was Judge Magister Gabranth, he was standing from his chair, to better address his majesty and all those in the room. The settings sun's ray were peeking through the window behind the king. Illuminating Judge Gabranth, making handsome features glow, and his short dirty-blond hair gleam.

"Lord Pelador?" Gabranth repeated.

The king shifted in his seat, it seemed his age was making simple things like sitting in a chair difficult. A sudden hacking rumbling cough erupted from his throat, catching him off guard. The strain and sudden lack of breath brought tears to his eyes. The seated judges glanced towards one another awkwardly, knowing their kings health was, and had been for some time, in jeopardy.

After regaining his composure he nodded toward Judge Gabranth to continue.

"My lord, as Judge Mirh mention, we have good reason to suspect the Heartless will make move to take the city."

"Grabranth," The king started, "The Heartless have been encamped here seven months, every pathetic attempt to take the walls of this city has been rebuffed easily. The Hestre River runs through the city, providing us with water, and food. We are well situated for siege, and our people are thriving still. Any sudden movement to rebuff once more a supposed attack could cause mass doubt, worry, and eventually panic, which would no doubt make any attempted action by our forces even more difficult.

"Yes Majesty," Gabranth nodded, agreeing. He then pointed to a document that lay before him on the smooth, ebony table.

"That, is precisely why we concluded that only the elite Wing be made alert. And tactfully inform those needed of battle plans."

King, stared intently into the table, pondering over the things said.

"Or escape plans." The kings said with a sigh.

"Lord?" A judge from across the table quizzed, not understanding what was being said.

"To tactfully inform those needed of battle plans and escape plans." The King said gravely.

"Indeed my Lord." Agreed Gabranth just as solemnly. The King Pelador suddenly sat straight and gave a warm smile to all in the room.

"Forgive me, my council, these old bones cannot stand to be seated for much longer. Let us postpone the rest of meeting to the morrow."

The room echoed with the repeated moving of chairs and voices excusing themselves from the room.

"Judge Magister Gabranth." The king called before the he left. Gabranth stayed bowing respectfully until everyone in the room had left. Whence the last Judge left, the king stood up from his seat.

"Gabranth,"

The judge raised his head looking into the troubled eyes of his king.

Lord Pelador ran a hand aross his weathered face."I wish to discuss with you, of a matter which troubles me greatly."

The judge stood attentive, giving his king all due attention"My lord?"

"Let us begin, to design the escape route plans for my family."The king's gaze trailed of the judge and fell upon a large portrait, that had been painted the spring before, the smiling faces of all six of his daughters. "I want to organize personally the escape route of my daughters."

* * *

><p><strong>In the garrison<strong>

"Squall, Squall!" A hurried voice whispered.

The soldier in question stirred from his sleep, the sound of his name being whispered so early in the morning seemed to be louder than his thoughts. He growled sleepily and pulled his blanket over his head, in attempt to blot out the voice calling his name.

"Come on Squall!" The hushed voice pressed. Had Squall been looking, he would be able to make out the figured of the man running a hand through his spiky hair in frustration. With one swift move he stripped the bedspread from Squall form.

The sudden leave of his blanket and the warmth it held, created a instant anger to boil in Squall. He hugged his legs to his chest and glared angrily at his fellow soldier.

"Rise and shine sleeping beauty!" The spiky haired soldier whispered, with humor in his voice. The sun's red morning rays hadn't even lit the window yet. Let alone provide Squall with enough light to identify the cursed man so bent on waking him.

"In the names of the gods man, it's not even day break." Squall muttered in a sleep educed choked voice. The familiar sound of a match being scratched seemed more offensive than usual to his ears. A lit candle revealed the smiling face of Zack, his sparring partner.

"Come on, up man!" Zack whispered, "All the Wings are beings called, the General says we are all to be in the courtyard in half a mark!"

Squall sat straight up, the Wings were trusted and honorable soldiers that had proven themselves in multiple facets in their life. Squall had joined the ranks of Wings three years past and had not been called forth as such until this day. Squall stumbled from his bunk and reached under it to retrieve his attire.

**Castle laundry room**

Sweat dropped down Aerith's face has she scraped the heavy wet bed sheet back and forth against the washboard. A handkerchief held her bangs out of her face, and her long chestnut hair fell in one long braid down her back. Her knuckles were scraped, her knees raw from kneeling for hours, her back aching from exertion, but she still hummed as she worked.

The sound of a knock at the entrance of the room made it way to her ears.

"Yes?" She called out cheerfully. A woman wearing spectacles sheepishly stood and the entrance holding a large basket of dirty laundry.

"Oh," Aerith breathed, "Thank you Shera, you can leave those here, could you take the clean one out to sun bleach?" She asked smiling to the woman. Shera smiled and took the basket with the now clean wet laundry out.

Aerith returned to her work, once she finished with the present sheet, she did her best to ring it out and put it into a basket with other clean sheet. She stood and bent over to lift a dirty sheet from the basket. The sound of shifting feet caught her attention and she pulled the sheet out.

"Shera is that you? If you're looking for the pins they're on the second shelf I had too move them."

Aerith heard no response, and frowned in confusion. She jumped as she felt an arm snake around her waist. But she laughed as it twirled her around. She turned her faced toward the spiky haired man.

"Zack!" She giggled and playfully hit his chest. He smiled down at her and gently kissed her forehead. She smiled contently and wrapped her arms around him and nestled her face into his shoulder. He held her lovingly and rested his head on hers.

"What is it?" She mumbled into his shoulder. He smiled and released her somewhat so she could look up at him. He noticed a loose curl of her hair that managed to slip from the handkerchief and toyed with it, twirling it around his finger. Despite his best to give her a cheerful smile, he had an uncharacteristic grim look on his features. He took her left hand gently in his own and fingered the small twine around her wedding finger.

"Do not worry, no one has noticed, our engagement is still secret." She said assuming what his thoughts were.

"It is not that I'm worried about." He said gently. Aerith notice he seemed troubled.

"What's wrong Zack?" Aerith asked in a concerned tone. The soldier sighed and smiled at her sadly. He leaned his forehead against hers and took a firm hold of both her hands.

"I need to tell you something, and you have to be sure to do exactly as I tell you."

**Palace stables**

"Manure, manure, manure." Grumbled a spiky headed blond boy in his mid-teens.

"Scoop, the stuff, shovel the stuff, smell the stuff, I practically live in it!" He growled loudly as he busily shoved horse droppings from one side of the stable into a wheel barrel.

Roxas had been working since early this morning, as a stable boy, his work was by no means as interesting as the soldiers outside. From where he stood he could see the men clad in armor, wielding gleaming weapons as they practiced their combos. Roxas could even see his best friend amoung them, albeit wielding his sword clumsily where the soldiers around him had to back away fear fear of losing a vital limb, Roxas had to admit that even doing such was better than what he was doing now. At the end of the day he ended up smelling like dung and could wield a weapon to save his life. However, as a stable boy he took care to the horses, and even the kings daughters had horses. And no one got a closer look at the princesses than he did when they came to fetch their steeds. And most beautiful of all was…Namine! A lovesick smile spread across his face like a disease. She was the most beautiful, graceful angelic creature on the know world. She was not a princess mind you, but she was the daughter are Arcduchess Athea!

She was why Roxas put up with the scum of the earth, just to see her smile. In fact they had a secret! Well… _she_ had a secret, she had a pure white steed, and she loved to ride at night! And who had she asked to prepare her horse! None other than himself! ….In reality he had _caught _her doing it. He can see the image of that night in his head as clear as day. The moonlight shinning down on her, causing her nightdress and the horse to glow, like and angel! Roxas blushed at the thought. She implored him to keep the secret, and of course he accepted, he even insisted to prepare the horse for her. And the last time, she even allowed him to lead the horse about the courtyard! Roxas felt lightheaded. And tomorrow night was the night! She came ever seventh day! Roxas could not wait for it to arrive!

The blond was so caught up in his head he did not notice Sora "pssst"ing him from the entrance of the stable. After several failed attempts to catch Roxas' attention Sora chucked a horseshoe at the blonds head!

"Ow!" Roxas complaint feeling the lump that was already beginning to form. "Why would you do that!" he glared angrily and his friend who shrugged sheepishly and tugged at a spike of hair that stuck out from under his helmet.

"Sorry," Sora said with an apologetic look on his face, but then rather quickly his expression changed to a rather somber one. He looked around to see if anyone noticed where he was, then entered the stable. As Sora approached, Roxas frowned, judging by how uncharacteristically serious his friend was, something was wrong.

"Listen," Sora muttered "There's something you need to know."

**Slums of Rabanastre**

Vaan sat, eating the delicious paopu fruit as he sat on the bar that fenced in the Hestre River. He gazed at the sparkling water, it seemed like silver flowing across the surface.

"Unbelievable" A soft sweet reached hid ears. The blond boy turned his head in the direction of the girl that had spoken to him. Her hair as blond as his, was pulled into twin braids, long enough to hover over her shoulders without quite resting on them. Vaan noticed she had a small fishnet bag slug over her shoulder, in which she had gathered several fruits and a few loaves. As lovely as she appeared in the day's light, her eyes betrayed a tamed fire.

"Vaan, we were supposed to **gather **the provisions, by **honest **means on top of that, and after a hard days works i come here and you are **eating** them!"

Vaan gave her a sheepish look as he ate the core of the fruit. "Look," he said his voice garbled by the food in his mouth, "Don't freak! After you hear what Yuffie told me we will never have to forage for food again!"

Penelo narrowed her eyes at him, "This had better not have anything to do with Balthier's bright ideas again, Yuffie always falls for his skeems."

Vaan laughed as he swallow the last mouthful of paopu. "Trust me this one if for real."

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><p><em>AN: So what you think? i know this one didnt go anywhere but it was just to introduce the idea. Review plz!_


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